Tribulation
by TheKnightofAwesome
Summary: A young man dies protecting his lover. In the afterlife he makes a contract with Satan, and must now haunt our world, sacrificing the souls of evil men to the devil himself.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

**A/N:** **This work takes concepts from both The Crow ****and Ghost Rider, since the ideas are so blatently obvious I guess that makes it a fanfiction of both of them. The characters on the other hand are original, and I try to take the plot in my own direction. ****This is my first piece to be released on this site, so please review and tell me how I can get better. **

* * *

><p>The couple walked alone through the dark city that night. Hand in hand, they gushed over the play they had just seen. They were engaged, ready to be married in just a few months time. Both shared a passionate love that nothing could have extinguished, not even death.<p>

The brisk, night air cut through them. The man took off his coat to give to the woman to help keep her warm.

"What a gentleman," said the woman. The man laughed but didn't comment. "Oh, I forgot to tell you," she continued on. "My sister is coming here for a business thing. Would you have a problem with her staying over to save her having to get a hotel?"

"Yeah no problem. How long is she going to be in town?" he asked.

"Just a few days. It's actually kinda convenient, her birthday is coming up while she's here so we can celebrate with her."

"Sounds like a plan," he said with a smile. They continued on in silence for a while. The man had no problem with his girlfriends family, in fact he rather liked them. His own family was not quite as close however. He was thankful for her family because it let him pretend for a moment that his life hadn't been filled with misforutune. His father had been an angry drunk, and would often lash out against his family when he had had too much of "the good stuff." His alcoholism had eventually been the death od him when he came home from the bar one night, too intoxicated to drive. The man didn't know how too feel at the time of his father's death, but looking back he often wished he had at least gotten to see him in a better mood before he left them.

The man pushed his mind out of the past, and focused himself on the now, his girlfriend was his future, and that's all that mattered to him.

As they passed an alley, a gun clicked in the dark, and a man's voice spoke out to them.

"Freeze! Get in the alley, follow it until you get into the warehouse." Afraid, they obeyed and were lead into the deserted warehouse.

"This is how it's going to go down," said the thief calmly. "You're going to give me your money, or I'll bust a cap in your ass!"

Though the man felt great fear, he spread his arms in front of his lover. "Fine take my damn money, but don't lay a finger on her!" He threw his wallet on the ground and continued to stand in front of his beloved. He was shaking all over, wondering why the fates had chosen the two of them to be caught in this situation. He knew that crime was rampant in the darker parts of the city, but never before had be been in such danger as this before, and the fact that his girlfriend was in danger as well made it even worse. His breath was quick and adrenalin pumped through his veins, and even though he was scared, his mind seemed to be crystal clear, as if the mortal danger eliminated the haze of his mind.

The thief walked to the wallet and picked up the money. A smug grin spread across his face, he was clearly pleased with himself. "Now then... go to Hell!" he yelled firing the gun into the man's guts.

"David!" screamed the woman. The man named David fell to his knees and then onto his back. The light in his eyes dimming as the life left him. The woman knelt down next to David, cradling his head in her lap. Her eyes were glistening and a single tear fell from her eyes onto the man's cheek.

"J-Jessabell…" he whispered, trying to reach up and tough her face one last time. His eyes closed, and his head tilted to the side. Jessabell began to sob and put her lips to David's forehead.

"He he, now that he's out of the way, let's have some fun!" The thief grinned. Evil burned in the murderer's eyes as he gave into his lust. He approached the woman, intending to commit a sin far worse than what he had done so far. The thief grabbed David by the cuff of his shirt and tossed his body aside like it was nothing. Jessabell whimpered in fear and sorrow as she watched David defiled in such a manner.

Taking a step forward, the murderer threw down his gun and aimed to rip the young woman's blouse off. Before he could lay a single finger on her, a bright flame engulfed the body of David, and a mighty voice pierced the air.

"I told you not to touch her," it roared. David stood, his body still covered in the blaze. "I won't let you harm Jessabell!"

The flame died out, and David walked up to the man, hatred burning within his heart. David had seen into the man's soul, and knew what he had intended, this brought forth a rage so powerful nothing could stop it.

The murderer screamed in terror and picked up his gun, firing a second round into David's head. David's skull kicked backwards from the recoil, and he stopped his approach. The killer let out a sigh of relief. This did not last long however, as David straightened his head and continued to walk onwards.

David grabbed the man by the throat.

"Wh-what are you?" he asked, fear behind every word.

"I am he who was once called David," said the man who should have been dead. "But you may call me Void."

The thief screamed. But this didn't stop Void.

"You have been Judged! Now experience Hell for yourself!" Void tightened his grip on his murderer's neck, and a burst of Hellfire erupted from the thief's body, when it dissolved, nothing was left of the man, not even ash.

Then Void turned to Jessabell, and his face showed signs of immense sorrow.

"D-David?" she squeaked, tears streaming down her face.

"Jessabell... I'm sorry, I'm not longer the David you fell in love with. To save you I had to make a contract with Satan. Now I am cursed to wander this earth, sacrificing souls of evil men to the devil himself."

"No! I don't want that for you! Why would you-" she stopped unable to finish her sentence out of pure grief.

"Jessabell, we can no longer be together, but my sacrifice was worth it, because I did it to save you. If you wish to make it up to me, then go on and live a long happy life. Do this as a dying man's last wish." Void came closer to Jessabell and placed a single kiss on her brow, His eyes glistened as he knew this would be hard for both of them, but it was the best choice he could have made.

Void tried to walk away, leaving the matter on a bittersweet note, but Jessabell had other plans. She embraced him and sobbed into his shirt, no longer bloodstained, due to the purification of the fire.

"P-please... Don't leave me." she cried in between sobs. Not knowing what to do, Void returned her hug, and they remained like this, in silence, for a minute or so. Finally Void spoke again.

"Goodbye, Jessabell."

With that Void turned his back on Jessabell, and with a flash of brief hellfire, She was alone in the warehouse.


	2. Chapter 2: I'm Yours

David stepped in front of Jessabell, hoping to protect her from the mugger who threatened them. He had never been this scared before in his life, looking down the barrel of the gun frightened him deeply, all he could see was the impenetrable darkness and the bullet with his name on it.

He threw his wallet on the ground in the hopes that the thief would see this offering as enough and let them go on their merry way, never bothering them again. However David never anticipated that the thief would kill him anyway.

As the bullet pierced his abdomen, there was a moment when his ears failed him, and all he could hear was the sound of his own racing heart. His knees buckled and gravity sent him to the floor without mercy. He felt his head move against his will, and then found himself resting in Jessabell's lap. A single tear fell from Jessabell's beautiful eyes and fell onto his cheek. He didn't like seeing her in this state, he wanted to say something, anything to assure her that she would be fine.

"J-Jessabell..." was all he managed to get out before the darkness of death moved in on him. He felt something that he could only describe as if he were a dish and the table cloth was just ripped out from under him. After the sensation the world around David was gone, he was now alone, lost in the darkness.

Alone, and dead David couldn't even weep for the loss of his beloved, he found out the hard way that the dead cannot cry. David gazed around the new world in which he inhabited. He could not see much, only flitting shadows, too far away to make out clearly.

"_Is__this__really__the__afterlife?__" _He wondered to himself.

Then a bright, white light shone onto David and a voice spoke to him, it was gentle and calming, it wanted to make David forget about his pain.

"Worry not, little one, for your journey is over. Lay your weary head to rest, and forget your troubles," it said. The voice sounded masculine, but no form came with the apparition.

"But… Jessabell," pleaded David. Simply speaking her name brought on painful memories, as well as the realization that the killer was still there with her, and no one to protect her anymore. She was still in danger, how could he forget? "Please! I can't be dead! I have to save Jessabell!" He cried out. She was the most important thing to him, he would never let her go, he wouldn't rest until he knew she was safe.

Then a second light appeared to David. This one was crimson, and far more sinister, but the way it talked pleased David as well.

"There is a way to save her, boy." The second light said to him. "Just sign a contract with me, and you can protect her."

The second light, also male, seemed to know exactly what was going through David's mind. David wanted to hear what he had to say, but he was put off by something that swam just below the surface of the light's words. Was it malice?

"Begone Satan!" commanded the first voice, angered by the second's presence. "Don't spit your lies here!"

"No! Let him speak!" David pleaded. If there was a way to save Jessabell he would do it, he could still sense her sorrow. David was sure that if the light had a face it would have grinned, the thought frightened him, but he didn't care, he had also stopped caring about the possible malice he detected earlier as well. Jessabell was the only thing that mattered, nothing else.

"Become my servant, and sacrifice the souls of wicked men to me, Satan, and I will grant you the power to save her, as well as your life.

"There is another condition though. You cannot be the same man you were, you must break all ties to the old David, and become The Endless Void. By signing this contract you will become a demon lord, and command the power of the Hellfire. The Hellfire will submit to your very will, acting as you wish it to. It will dispose of your adversaries, and take you to whatever location you want or require. You will also gain a form of sixth sense, allowing you to detect acts of evil wherever they are committed."

"And I'll have to do this for the rest of eternity?" Asked David in a quivering voice.

"No, the contract will last for as long as your natural lifetime, had you not been murdered. You will be safe from natural and unnatural means of death for the remainder of your life. In other terms you will be immortal and indestructible for the remainder of the contract. Once the contract expires you will die," said Satan.

David thought about it. The idea of being the Devil's bounty hunter didn't appeal to him, and the idea of leaving Jessabell after he saved her was even worse. David still loved Jessabell, and he could never rest in peace if he did nothing to protect her.

"Satan, I will sign your contract. I will become The Void," he said.

Then the first voice spoke again. "David, know this; if you sign to Satan, you can never cross the threshold into Paradise. You will be damned from that point on." Then it disappeared.

"You have agreed then?" Asked the second voice.

"Yes," replied David.

"Then make contact with the Hellfire," said the voice. As it did, there came forth a tongue of flame, both sinister and comforting to look at. David reached out his hand, and touched the flames with his index finger.

When his skin made contact, the flame swooped into his body, and suddenly there was another voice, a completely new consciousness.

"_Hello David, I am Void." _It said.

"_Wha-what's going on?" _David asked. The new consciousness began to merge with his own. David started to find it difficult to distinguish with thoughts were his own, and which belonged to Void.

"_You agreed to the contract, now you and I are becoming one. Do not worry, you will not lose yourself. In the end, it will be like you simply took over my powers, to me it will be like I took on your life, your morals, and your experiences. We are the same person, I just exist in the Hellfire. Soon my __consciousness will fade away, and you will be Void, not me."_

With that, the two minds came together to form a single being. It was then that David ceased to be. He was now Void.

A portal to Life opened before him, he saw now what had happened in the time he had died, only a mere half a minute had passed for what had been much longer for David.

"I told you not to touch her," he roared as he jumped through the portal.


	3. Chapter 3: Unknown Soldier

The city was dreary, rain falling from the gloomy clouds above. Evil thrived in the dark, but so did the Void. It was night, so many businesses were closed, but lights still glimmered in the city. At the top of the tallest building Void stood and waited for the evil to call out to him.

Then he sensed it. It was if his mind was suddenly ripped from his body, and speeding down toward the source of the crime. He was used to this sensation though, and did not fight it. Void could see what was happening in a house on the far side of town. He saw a man had just murdered his wife in a crime of passion, This was something he had planned, something for him to use to claim life insurance and then run off with some whore. Void became angered and traveled on the Hellfire to the man's location.

The Hellfire was truly a remarkable thing. It gave Void the power to be wherever he wanted to be in an instant. It was also the source of his demonic powers.

In a flash Void was there at the scene, but the killer was not in the room with the victim anymore.

The woman hung from the ceiling, a typed suicide note next to her body. If Void didn't know any better he would have sworn she had killed herself. Disgusting. Even though Void was now a demon he hated evil, and got a sick form of pleasure when he extinguished it.

Void took a moment to behold the dead woman. She had been beautiful, and he did not know what could have driven this man away from her, besides his greed. He sensed she had not been evil, but rather faithful to her wicked husband. This made Void's need to destroy the man even greater. 

"May death be kinder to you than it was to me," he said to the corpse.

Void traveled through the house, taking but a few seconds to gaze upon the pictures from a happier time. They seemed like such a close couple, it was a wonder how the man could have done such a heinous crime. Void came to a door, and from the other side he could hear the man practicing what he would say to 911, about how he had found her hanging there.

Void became shadow, and traveled into the room from beneath the door. Then he materialized in front of the man, who cried out in terror at the sight of the demon.

"What the hell! Who are you? How did you get here?"

"I am Void, the demon lord who commands the Hellfire. I am also your death," said Void in a calm voice.

"W-what?" The man stammered. "Demon lord?"

"Correct, It is my duty to crush the souls of men who are permanently stained by evil. They are sacrificed to Satan and punished for their crimes. And you...you have been judged!"

Void raised his hands, and a tongue of Hellfire enveloped the man. He cried out but Void showed him now mercy. In a matter of seconds the deed was done and the murderous husband was no more. Void left the room, not wanting to be around the house any longer than he had to.

He walked back into the living room, where he spotted a nice looking, black trench-coat on on a coat hanger. Void looked down at his own garments, which were the same as when he died in them. A pair of jeans, a button down shirt, casually worn with the sleeves rolled up. This look wasn't intimidating and for someone in his line of work that was no good. Void grabbed the trench-coat and put it over his clothes. Looking in a mirror he decided he looked much better, and disappeared once again with the use of the Hellfire.

Void returned to the building top he had been to previously. He had been a demon for little more than a few weeks now, but he was still among the most powerful beings in the universe, all thanks to the Hellfire.

Even still, he hated cases like this, they forced him to remember the past life, when he was still known as David. The thought of David ever causing harm to Jessabell was unthinkable; so much so that he was reminded of why he signed the contract in the first place. It sickened Void to think of men who couldn't feel the same way about their significant other the way he thought of his Jessabell.

"Good evening, Void," came a voice from behind him, tearing Void from his thoughts. Void had come to know this voice well.

"To what do I owe this honor, my liege?"

He turned around to look upon Satan. To anyone who didn't know the truth, Satan would appear as an elderly gentleman. His graying hair fell down to his waist, and was tied in a long ponytail, his blue eyes still held the beauty from their days as an angel. His face was clean shaven, and only a small number of wrinkles creased his face. He looked very good for a demon king. He wore a fur robe which fell to just above his leather shoes. And in his hand he carried a cane with a skull on the top end.

"Is it so wrong that I check in on my servants every now and again?" Satan asked in mock hurt.

Void cringed. He wasn't fond of being called the devil's "servant."

"Anyway, I just want to thank you for doing such an outstanding job. I never would have anticipated how efficient you would be."

Void sat in silence for a moment. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you," he said after a few moments pause.

"Then ask away," replied Satan.

"Why did you choose me, of all people, to give these powers to?"

"I needed someone to do this work, you just happened to be in the right place at the right time," replied Satan with an air of nonchalance.

"And why does this job need to be done? Why can't you wait for these people to die naturally?"

"Let's just say... I got greedy," he said.

Suddenly the air felt chilly, but Void didn't mind, he felt no cold. "Even when I was known as Lucifer, I was greedy. I wanted power... to be like The Creator. I tried to rebel in order to gain power, but I was beaten by the Archangel, Michael. They threw me out, thinking that was the end, but what they didn't know was that they gave me just what I wanted. I became the king of Hell, and passed justice onto evildoers. I'm sure you felt it, the feeling you get when you crush evil. I became addicted to that rush, it's like my drug. Then I realized that not enough evil people were being sent to Hell to satisfy my cravings, so I made you to get them to me faster. If they are so far gone they cannot be saved, why should I wait for their death?"

"That's almost ethical of you," Void commented with a chuckle.

"Indeed, It's a shame really. When the contract ends you'll die and be sent to Hell for contracting with me, but I have no reason to judge you as evil. You'll just be a waste of space. Maybe you should have stayed dead and gone to Heaven,"

Void suddenly turned on the devil.

"Don't say that! I did this to protect _her_! I couldn't care less about your need to impound justice on evil, I only care about Jessabell!"

Satan didn't appear to be angry at Void for his outburst, in fact he smiled.

"There it is... the reason I can't find any evil. It's because you signed onto me out of love, not greed, not lust for life, but love. Truly a shame."

"At least I have a peaceful rest to look forward to when I die," said Void.

This caused the devil to chuckle, he seemed to have a good sense of humor. Suddenly, Satan stood straighter, and he stiffened his posture. Immediately after, Void too felt the sensation of his mind being taken off towards the source of some evil.

"Looks like your next target has surfaced, fetch him for me," said the devil with a devious grin.

"Yes, with pleasure," said Void. In a flash of Hellfire he left Satan alone of the roof.

After a moment the devil took his leave as well, but not before leaving his final thoughts: _A damn shame indeed. _


	4. Chapter 4: Evil Angel

Void had become accustomed to changing cities every so often. His work took him all over the world to crush evil, and when he was done with his task he would usually stay in the current city until he was needed elsewhere. He may have been dead, but he still enjoyed some sightseeing while he wasn't hunting down the wicked.

He wasn't sure what the name of the city he was currently in was, but it wasn't too different from his hometown. Whenever he was in a new place he would find the tallest building, and teleport up to its highest point to take in the city as a whole. He saw many beautiful skylines using this method, and it was what he was currently doing.

In the beginning he felt lonely, seeing as he was traveling by himself, and he had no one to share his fantastic view with. But he had also become accustomed to that as well. Occasionally Satan would pop in and talk for a bit, but he never stuck around for long, and Void didn't really see him as a friend. Sure he was nice enough, and understanding of his situation, but he was just not the kind of person Void wanted to be with. He didn't hate Satan; actually he did actually like him on some level, but not enough to chat up while he wasn't working.

Actually Void didn't exactly understand what was so off-putting about the devil. By all accounts, they should have gotten along just fine. He attributed his reluctance to spend leisure time with him to Satan's dark aura. He would always talk about the pleasure he got from torturing the souls Void sent him, and though Void shared that pleasure on some level, it didn't run anywhere close to how deep Satan's ran. It slightly disturbed him.

Void had begun to prefer the solitude anyway, as it gave him time to think about…well anything that came to mind. Today his mind was asking "what if " questions, such as "what if we hadn't been mugged that day?" or "what if I hadn't taken this deal?" He didn't like the answers he came up with, which he found to be a good thing. It meant he had made the right choice, at least in his eyes.

Then he felt the familiar sensation of his mind being drawn to the next site of an evil act. What surprised him was that the crime was taking place in the city he was currently in. Even more surprising was that he could sense it wasn't too far away from his current location. Regardless his mind was taken to the site, and he could see a woman and her daughter, cornered by a gang of thugs. Some of them carried guns with them. It appeared to Void that it was a robbery. He could also see that the thugs had wounded, and possibly killed a man, most likely the husband, to show the women that they meant business. Without a second thought, Void teleported to the scene but not in a place where he would be scene right away. He had to assess the situation so he could strike without endangering innocent lives. He appeared to be in a warehouse; similar to the one he had died in not but a few months ago.

He saw that there were about four men, two carrying pistols, one with a bat, and the other with no weapon that Void could see. Next he inspected the women, the mother was holding the daughter tight, and appeared to be whispering words of comfort. The man who had been stricken already was no longer moving, and Void could sense he was dead. Void's fists tightened as he chastised himself for not getting here in time to save the man.

But then he saw that there was another man with the women. However after a good look at him, Void saw that the other man had _wings. _

"_An angel?" _he thought to himself. "_Perhaps a Guardian? But then…why is he not protecting them? Isn't that his job?" _At the very least it explained why no one in the room was questioning the man with wings, Void could probably only see him because of his demonic eyes.

Void didn't have time to question further, as one of the thugs with pistols approached the two women.

"Now then, can we just get this over with and move on? We're busy guys. We got places to go, and people to see. Just give us the damn purse. Or do we have to-" he didn't get the chance to finish as Void stepped out and cut him off.

"Or do you have to what?" he growled.

"Who's this chump?" asked the man with the bat. "Get outta here, dude. This ain't none of your business," Void merely glowered in response. The bat wielding thug drew back, intimidated.

"What the hell do you want?" asked the man who was threatening the women.

"Your souls," said Void flashing an evil smile. "I am Void, the spirit of vengeance, the reaper of wicked souls, the commander of the Hellfire. And you…you have all been judged," As Void finished his little introduction he summoned a ball of Hellfire into his right palm, and thrust it at the first man with a pistol. The ball his him square in the chest, and the flames spread around his entire body. He was taken before his body even hit the floor.

The little girl screeched and hid her head behind the protection of her mother. The mother on the other hand, didn't seem all that frightened, but that might have been because she was paralyzed with fear. The angel seemed to take in Void with a form of amusement. However, he didn't step in to help. Not that Void needed it.

The other thugs stared at him with disbelief before they managed to compose themselves. The second gun wielding man shot at Void hitting him twice in the chest and once in the head. Void's body recoiled with the shots, and fell to the floor. Then the Bat toting thug rushed at Void's limp body and began to beat it, as if it would add insurance to the kill of an apparently dead monstrosity. The last man came up to Void and revealed he had been carrying a knife, which he took out and drove into Void's heart. The thug stood up with the man with the bat, and together they admired their bloody work.

Void's body had been brutally destroyed, and a pool of blood began to form around him.

Now the mother was crying, at the death of her would-be savior. The daughter, who had been crying before, now shook with frightened sobs.

Then out of nowhere, a wicked laugh pierced the air of the warehouse. It seemed to have no source, as if the very air was laughing at the criminals.

"_AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… NICE TRYYY!" _It sang. "_But I'm not that easy to kill!" _Suddenly the blood around Void's body began to recede back into him, and the wounds began to heal, as if nothing had happened. The two thugs standing over him only watched as this happened, paralyzed with sheer terror.

In an instant, a burst of Hellfire erupted from Void's chest, and consumed the two men, leaving only the last man with a gun.

"H-how did you-" he stuttered.

"You know, I may be dead, but that doesn't mean that I still don't feel pain!" grumbled Void. "And now look at us. You could have just taken it like a man and been done with it. But no! You had to shoot me, and now I'm just pissed off," Void raised his hand, and fashioned it into a finger-gun, which he pointed at the last thug.

"Bang," he said in a nonchalant tone. Instantly, a jet of Hellfire shot from the tip of his finger and engulfed the entire man. He was gone in a single second.

Void dropped his arm, and cracked his neck. Then he remembered the two women. He turned around to face them.

"Hey," he said casually. Both women seemed too frightened to speak, but the angel standing behind them gave Void a smile. It wasn't friendly, but Void didn't bring it up. He figured he'd better not as he was the only one who could see him anyway.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you. I was only here for them. People that bring harm to innocents just make me sick," he continued.

"Who are you?" asked the mother in a weak voice.

"As I said before, my name is Void. When I died I signed a deal that said I could come back to protect the woman I loved, but in exchange I had to also avenge those who suffered at the hands of evil doers. I'm terribly sorry I didn't make it in time," he said, referencing the dead man.

The woman began to tear up, but she only nodded her head. "No, it's not your fault. Thank you for saving us before things got worse," Void nodded as well, not saying anything, as there was nothing left to say.

Then the little girl let go of her mother and approached Void. As she got nearer, Void knelt down, and looked her in the eye. Void took note that her eyes were very pretty; they shone blue like the sky. Void could also see the angel give him a disapproving glare, as the girl got closer.

"Mister, are you an angel?" she asked. She was so innocent; she couldn't have been older than ten. Void chuckled at her question.

"Not quite, but close," he said with a soft smile. He could tell she had a bright future ahead of her, and it made him glad that he at least managed to save this one small ray of light.

The girl scampered off to her mother, and Void rose to his feet.

"I recommend you report this to the cops, but refrain from mentioning me. If they ask what happened just say that the men got what they had come for, and ran away. They would never believe what had actually happened," he said to the mother.

"Ok," she nodded. "Thank you again for saving us," then she looked back at the fallen man. "But what about…" she trailed off. Void understood.

"There is nothing left we can do for him. But I sensed his spirit before he was truly gone; I have no doubt that he is waiting for you at the other side of the 'pearly gates'. You will see him again some day, I promise," he said. His head fell in shame. He hated that he could not have saved the man; he had managed to save other people before. He did not know why he had failed this time. When a crime as close to him as this one had been, he could sense it and act before anything truly terrible happened. The only explanation he could have come up with was that the thugs had not meant to kill anyone in the first place, but once they did, they let all restraints loose, which is why they could be judged as evil. They saw no reason to hold back, and so they gave in.

The mother nodded, and embraced her daughter as she came back to her.

"Anyway, I must be off. Be safe," said Void as he used the Hellfire to take him back to the perch he was resting in before this event.

* * *

><p>Time passed, and no more evil jumped out at Void. Sure there was crime, but there was nothing that involved anyone truly evil, which is where Void would get involved. He wasn't a vigilante, or a superhero; he was a demon who was put here to do a job. He couldn't waste his time on petty criminals, or wrong doers, he could only use the Hellfire on someone who was so far gone that they could never be redeemed.<p>

Void sighed. He wondered how long he would be doing this. Satan had said that he would live until the end of his natural lifetime, but how long would that be?

Then, Void heard the sound of wings behind him, and a sizable 'thud' as something or someone touched down. Void turned to see his visitor and recognized the angel from earlier that day. He took the time to take in the angel's appearance, as he didn't pay much attention to it before.

He wore a white shirt and pants, and his sandals appeared to be made of gold. His hair was a deep blond, and Void could almost swear it was golden as well. His eyes were a royal blue, and his face seemed to be chiseled out of marble by the greatest of master sculptors.

Void had many questions for this angel, but he could only manage one.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"I simply came to talk," the angel replied.

"No, I mean why are you _here?_" stressed Void. "Shouldn't you be with your charges? Aren't you a Guardian?"

"I am indeed a Guardian angel, but those women are asleep, they do not need me," he said.

"Well they sure as hell needed you earlier! What the hell are you here for if you aren't protecting them!" demanded Void.

"The role of the Guardian is not to protect, we can't interfere with their lives. We can only guide their choices, we act as a conscience," he said.

"Then why don't I see more of you? Doesn't everyone have a Guardian?"

"Yes, but I chose to make myself known to you. Unless the angel wishes it, no one can see it,"

"That's stupid! Why didn't you save them! They were innocent people! Why did that man have to die?" roared Void.

"Because, We live by strict laws. I cannot interfere, as humans have the freedom of will. That criminal could have chosen to not kill him, but he didn't and he suffered for it. The only reason you may interfere is because you are a demon, and don't abide by our laws," said the angel in a stern tone.

"Why do you have to be so cold with me?" asked Void, letting go of his frustration.

"Despite what you do, you are still a demon, an agent of Satan. You belong in Hell with the rest of them, but that choice is beyond my jurisdiction,"

"An angel with a prejudice? Interesting, you don't see that everyday," Void remarked.

"I am not the only one who feels this way. You are an abomination, and the sooner your time to die comes, the better," said the angel.

"Harsh," said Void. He could care less if the angels liked him or not, he knew he was in the right. "So do you have a name?"

"Marcus," replied the angel.

"So, Marcus… Why is it you want to talk to me anyway?"

"Actually, it's to thank you…" he replied sheepishly.

"So…you hate me? But you're here to thank me?" questioned Void.

"Yes, you may be a devil, but you saved those girl's lives. I don't know what I would have done had they died today,"

"You're welcome," said Void with a dismissive air. He was confused by Marcus' motives, and had grown tired by him already. He only wished to return to his solitude. "Is that all?"

"Yes. Goodbye then," said Marcus, and he flew off.

With Marcus gone, Void sat in silence for a while. He let the warm night air flow over him, but he didn't feel tired. He never slept anymore.

After an hour, Void felt another sensation. However, it wasn't the usual sense he got when he was feeling the presence of evil. In fact, it felt similar to the feeling he had the time he had died, like he was a dish, and the cloth was ripped out from under him.

Pain erupted in Void's head as the greatest evil he had ever felt pierced his brain. It was unfathomable, it was too much for him to handle.

Void jumped to his feet, ready to travel with the Hellfire, but the pain in his head kept him unable to focus. He stumbled, and fell flat on his face at the top of the building. He cried out, wishing for it to stop, and as if to answer his pleas, he lost consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5: Stairway to Heaven

Void slowly came back to the world. His back was hurting him, and he felt stiff. He stirred, and opened his eyes, then squinted against the harsh morning light. When his eyes adjusted, he opened them again, and Marcus the angel came into focus.

"M-Marcus?" asked Void in a weak voice. "What happened?"

"You've been unconscious for about a day. There was a terrible tragedy, we all came to find you, we need your help, Void," He replied.

"'We'?" Void asked. Then he sat up and looked around. There were others on the rooftop with Marcus. He recognized Satan, but there were two angels standing beside him that he didn't recognize. Granted, Marcus was the only angel he had ever met. "Who are those guys?" he continued.

"I am Archangel Gabriel, and this is Archangel Raphael," said one of the angels. They both wore the same white robe, and had the same shade of blue eyes, but Gabriel's blond hair was longer than Raphael's. That and Raphael was looking at Void the same way Marcus was, Gabriel on the other hand seemed more friendly, which threw Void off slightly. "Yesterday, one of the residents of Heaven committed a sin so great they had to be cast out. They desecrated the sacred temple of Mt. Icarus and gained the Power of Creation. Archangel Michael tried to stop them, and he managed to cast him into Purgatory, however, the strain caused him to fall into a coma. Now we need you to finish the job,"

"What's in it for me?" asked Void. Raphael sighed before answering his question.

"We will overlook your Contract, and let you into Heaven when you time comes," he said. Raphael didn't seem at all happy about the prospect; neither did Marcus for that matter. Void shot a glance at Satan.

"The deal has already been cleared with me, I have agreed to this. Send the bastard's soul to me, and I will punish him accordingly. Besides this works out in my favor, I get another evil soul to deliver justice onto, and now I don't have to worry about what to do with you when you die. I have already altered your demon powers, you can no longer sense the evil of the world; we don't want you to be distracted from the fight at hand,"

"Why can't he just stay where he is?" asked Void. "And who is this guy anyway?"

"His name is Lucas, and we know he will escape eventually, you must be ready for him when he does," said Gabriel. "His crimes cannot go unpunished!"

"If Heaven is such a perfect society than how come people can still sin?" asked Void, he thought it was a very valid question.

"Dead or alive, human's still have the power of Free Will. As long as people can choose, sin is a possibility. Heaven is no exception to the rule," said Gabriel. "Satan is a classic example of this," he finished. Void understood. Free Will was a powerful force, but it was dangerous too. Anyone could misuse it, and it always had the potential to turn disastrous. It was looking like Void would need to hunt down Lucas, but in a way he was happy about it. His payoff would be entrance into Heaven, and after a life of destroying evil, that seemed like a good reward.

"So what happens after I finish Lucas off?" he asked.

"You will resume your duties as The Void, until the end of the Contract," said Satan.

"Understood, So do I just go into Purgatory after him?"

"No, looking for him in Purgatory would be a waste of time. No, what we will do next is take you to Heaven where we will teach you how to better control your Hellfire," said Gabriel.

"I can already control the Hellfire just fine!" said Void incredulously.

"You use it in random bursts, we will teach you to use it to its full potential. Without our help, you will never be able to stand up against Lucas," said Raphael in a cool tone.

'You approved this too?" asked Void, addressing Satan.

"Yes, it is the only way to stop Lucas," he replied without batting an eye.

"Fine, I'll do it," said Void. He wasn't sure how he felt about this, after all Marcus had told him that most angels did not approve of him. Now he was heading to their home, he was sure to be met with hostility.

"Take my hand," said Gabriel extending his right hand to Void. Void accepted it, and once again felt the sensation of the world being ripped out from under him. He was no longer standing on top of the building, he was now standing on a golden tower overlooking a vast landscape of golden buildings. The angels Gabriel and Raphael were next to him. The sky was a shade of royal blue, and there wasn't a single cloud to be seen. Below them Void could see numerous people, some walking, others flying, but they all wore the same white robes. They were not all blond like Gabriel and Raphael, in fact they looked like normal people. Void guessed they were people who had died and gone to Heaven, still retaining the appearance they had on earth. What he did notice was that everyone appeared to be young, most likely in their prime. He did see people who were very young, kids even. He guessed they had died at a young age and had not reached the same stage of adulthood that the others had gotten to before their time came.

"What, no welcoming committee?" Void joked. Neither of his angel escorts laughed, but he did notice Gabriel smile a bit.

"Take our hands, we'll take us down to the ground," said Raphael. Void did as he was told, and Gabriel and Raphael took off. They glided down towards the streets below, where people were beginning to scatter to make room for them. When they realized who was coming down towards them however, a feeling of unease fell over the crowd. Just as Void predicted, he was met with harsh glares, and looks of disapproval. He didn't mind though, he didn't need their love, he only had to take out Lucas. He did notice a few people weren't hostile, rather they seemed indifferent to him, which was comforting in its own way. Other people though gave him looks of admiration. They were very few and far between, but they were there, which made Void uneasy himself.

He could understand if angels hated him, he was a demon after all, but he didn't know why they would be happy to see him.

"I must go back and tend to Archangel Michael," said Raphael. With that he flew off to parts unknown, away from Gabriel and Void. Gabriel nodded before Raphael could take off to show he understood, then turned to Void.

"I will be the one training you. Normally, Michael would have been the best teacher, but since he is out of commission, he cannot do that. Raphael is a healing angel, so he is in charge of getting Michael back on his feet. Follow me, and I will show you where you will be staying," Said Gabriel. He turned around and began to head off into the crowd, which parted before him with an air of reverence. Void followed, and he could feel all eyes watching his every move.

Eventually they came to a small house, it looked similar to the other buildings nearby, but somehow not quite as grand. Gabriel went inside and Void followed him.

"So what is that feeling I keep getting whenever I deal with otherworldly things. Like just now when we arrived, or even when I died myself?" asked Void.

"We call it a 'shift'. Everyone feels it when they travel between the Plains of Existence," replied Gabriel. Void accepted that answer and left it at that. At the very least he knew what to call it.

The inside of the house was plain, all that was in the house was a bed. Clearly it was only meant to be slept in, which is all he would have used it for anyway. There was also a small window which gave a decent view of the Heavenly skyline.

"Rest today, you may acquaint yourself with the area as you wish. The locals will not be fond of you, but no harm shall come your way. I must make the preparations before we can begin our work. We are not sure how long we will have before Lucas frees himself, so we must make haste. At the very least we can be sure we will have until tomorrow. Even someone as strong as Lucas could not find his way out of Purgatory that fast," said Gabriel. Void nodded, by all accounts, exploring Heaven sounded interesting. Gabriel left him then. Using his wings, Gabriel flew off into the sky.

Void decided to take a walk. He left the house, and made his way down the pathways into the city. There were no shops, as nobody had any need to buy anything. In fact the buildings seemed to mostly consist of houses, and occasionally, recreational buildings. There were places for people to do any recreational activity that one could imagine. Everywhere that Void went he was met with hateful glares, but he paid them no mind. No one had the courage to confront him, so he didn't care how they looked at him.

On the outskirts of the city there were courtyards where people went to enjoy some peace and quiet. The courts were very pleasing to the eye, and Void decided to rest there for a while. Minutes passed without his noticing, all seemed quiet with the world. He didn't even feel the slightest bit of worry about his showdown with Lucas.

All of this changed when he heard a shriek from behind him.

Void had been sitting on a bench with his eyes closed and his head tilted back, so when he heard the scream he shot up, his eyes jumping open. He turned, and suddenly there was a white robe in his face.

"So it's true! You _are _here!" came an excited female voice. Void managed to push the girl off of him. She had dark brown hair, and brown eyes. Her skin was very light, and her face was dotted with freckles. She looked about the same age as he was, she was too young to have lived a full life; she must've died at an early age.

Before he could react the girl was waving over a second person. This girl was also very young, seemingly the same age as the first girl. However, the second girl was Asian, with black hair, and dark brown eyes.

"See! I told you he was here!" exclaimed the first girl to the second. They both seemed to bubble with excitement. It was an odd reaction coming from two angels.

"Umm, who are you?" asked Void. He was very confused by all of this.

"Sorry," said the first girl. "I'm Annabelle, and this is Raven," the girl named Raven waved when she was introduced. "And you're David, err, Void, right?"

"That would be true," responded Void cautiously. When he confirmed his identity both girls' eyes sparkled in admiration.

"We're your biggest fans!" they both shouted.

"Fans?" asked Void, legitimately surprised. "I didn't realize I _had _fans,"

"Yeah!" said Raven. "The way you sacrificed yourself for Jessabell, it was just so romantic!"

"You know about that?" he asked. These two seemed to be full of surprises.

"Everyone knows about it. Your entire life is common knowledge, we're just some of the only ones who actually _like_ what you do," said Annabelle.

"Well, that's kind of you, now what do you want?" asked Void. He was actually starting to get slightly irritated.

"We just wanted to meet you. You're our hero!" said Raven.

"Well you met me. You can leave now," he replied. Both girls seemed saddened by this, as if he had disappointed them somehow. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing…" said Raven, her eyes downcast. Void was aware of what a jerk he was coming across as, especially to his "fans".

"Look, if you wanna stick around that's fine with me," he said indifferently. Instantly they both cheered up. They both sat down next to him, one on each side, and got as close to Void as they possibly could.

"So is it true you came here to hunt Lucas?" asked Annabelle.

"What _don't_ you know about?" asked Void sarcastically. This got a laugh out of the two girls.

"So then, why are you _here _and not out looking for him?" asked Raven.

"Gabriel told me I need to train or something before I can face him," replied Void grumpily. Honestly, he wasn't looking forward to that one bit.

"Hmm, Gabriel…He's such a stickler for the rules," mused Raven to herself.

"What do you know about the Archangels?" asked Void. He figured he might as well get as much information on the people he'd be working with as he possibly could. Annabelle was the one to answer him.

"Well Raphael is pretty quiet, but everyone knows he doesn't approve of you at all. Gabriel on the other hand is friendlier, even if he is up-tight about everything. From what I can tall he doesn't _hate _you. Then there's Michael. His sense of justice is the only thing that runs his mind. He's really militant, and only worries about the difference between good and evil. To be honest I think he was almost happy when he had to fight Lucas, gave him a reason to fight," she said.

Void nodded. He had gotten those vibes from Raphael and Gabriel, and he trusted her description of Michael, he had nothing else to go on as reference anyway. He decided to change the subject.

"So what's your story? You two look too young," as soon as he said it the air seemed to change. Both girls looked rather depressed, particularly Raven.

"It was an accident…" she mumbled. Annabelle moved over to the other side of the bench and put her arms around Raven.

"No! You are _not _doing this again!" she said. Void suddenly felt very awkward.

"I'm…I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean-"

"No it's fine," said Raven, cutting him off. "It's not your fault, it's just that the wound is still a little fresh. It was Annabelle's twenty-eighth birthday. I was taking her out for dinner, just the two of us. We had planned a surprise party. It was dark and rainy, and I slid in a puddle of water. We began to hydroplane, and next thing we knew…we hit another car…and we were dead," Raven began to choke up at the end of her story, and Annabelle wrapped her arms all the more tighter around her.

"I don't blame you!" cried Annabelle, "So stop blaming yourself!"

"I know…" Raven murmured. She hugged her friend back. Void suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He decided he would never again ask how anyone had died.

"Maybe I should go…" he said in a gentle voice.

"Yeah, maybe you should," agreed Annabelle. Void stood up and went back to his house. He stayed there the rest of the night, waiting for Gabriel to tell him it was time to train.


	6. Chapter 6: Through The Fire and FlamesV1

When he heard the knock on the door, Void's eyes flew open. Even though Void was dead, we still had a human body, and required sleep. Void got out of his bed, and went to the door. Since he slept in his clothes, all he needed to do was put his trench coat back on.

Gabriel was at the door waiting for him,

"Are you ready to go?" asked Gabriel in a cheery voice.

"Yeah," muttered Void in response. Today he was scheduled to begin his training, but he didn't see why he needed it at all. Gabriel started to lead him down through the crowds and into a square building. Inside was a circular field, with a dome of lights on the ceiling. Around the circle, there were a few benches for people to sit. It was like an indoor practice field. Void could see why this was where Gabriel wanted to have him trained.

"So, this is it, huh?" asked Void in a small state of awe.

"Indeed. This is a safe environment where you can learn to better control the Hellfire in peace," almost as soon as Gabriel said this, there was a loud sound of a door opening and then closing behind them. Void and Gabriel turned to see Raven and Annabelle walking into the arena. Without saying a word, both girls strode over to one of the benches and sat down. They were staring at Void and Gabriel, as if they were expecting a show of some kind. Void's eyes widened at the sight of them, and he felt his cheeks go pale.

He turned away from them so that they couldn't read his lips.

"What are _they _doing here?" he asked Gabriel in a hoarse whisper.

"It appears that they want to watch," said Gabriel, equally confused.

"I thought you said we would train in private," retorted Void.

"As did I. We told everyone that you would be training here. Usually that would be enough to keep everyone away, they both fear _and _hate you," Void snorted at that, Gabriel continued on as if he didn't notice. "But I can't tell then to _leave. _Is it a problem?"

"I'm not sure yet…" muttered Void. He looked over at Raven. She looked cheerful as ever. Not a sign of anger or sadness played across her face, she even smiled at him. It was as if their conversation from last night had never happened. He didn't get it, and that made him feel awkward. He didn't like the feeling at all. He wanted to get it out of his mind, so he turned back to Gabriel.

"Let's just get started," he said. Gabriel nodded.

"Well, the first thing we are going to work on is sustaining a stream of Hellfire,"

"Sustaining?" questioned Void.

"Yes, every time you've used it, it has been is quick bursts. Now tell me, where does the source of Hellfire come from?"

"My willpower, I guess?" said Void.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Gabriel. "But for you, that means an extreme sense of emotion. You feel some kind of emotion, and you latch onto it. Then you throw it all out at once in one burst, and usually that takes care of the job. However that wont cut it this time, you have to find a new source of power, one that you can control,"

Void nodded. Gabriel was actually making a lot of sense. Whenever he was on a mission, he _did _normally feel a great sense of emotion. But to think that that was the source of his power all this time was hard to take in.

"I'll give you time to meditate, and come up with a new source. When you think you can sustain the flame, hold it in your hand," said Gabriel. So Void sat on the ground and held out his hand in front of him. He had no idea what he could use as a new power source. His powers had always just come to him. He just willed it to happen, and it did. Then again, looking back, only teleportation came to him _that _easily. Any other time he used the Hellfire, he relied on his emotions, that much he had come to understand.

He tried simply thinking the word "fire" but that didn't work either.

Void sat like that for about ten minutes. He had grown impatient with himself, and grunted in frustration. His hand ignited with his grunt, and then faded away.

"What was that?" asked Gabriel, his voice full of hope.

"Me, getting angry," replied Void in a monotone.

"Oh…" said Gabriel in a downcast sort of way. "Perhaps you should take a break?" he suggested. "Just a small one, to clear your head," Void nodded, and stood up. He looked over and saw that Raven and Annabelle were still sitting where they were before, so he walked over to them.

"Didn't expect to see you here," he said when he reached them. When he spoke Annabelle began to snicker and hang on Raven's shoulder. "Are you really gonna act like this every time I talk to you?" he asked.

"Probably not, but you're still awesome,' she replied. Void groaned. The last thing he wanted was fans.

"I figured you two were mad at me," he said.

"Why would you think that?" asked Raven.

"Um… Last night?" he said. Did she really not remember?

"Oh right, _that,_" she said. "No I'm not mad, it was an honest question,"

"I'm not mad either," chimed in Annabelle. "Anyway, what is it you're trying to do?" she asked.

"Find a new source of power to draw my Hellfire from," said Void.

"I don't understand," said Raven. So Void explained it to them. About his emotions, and how they were his fuel, and about how only the teleportation was different.

"Well, what do you do when you teleport?" asked Raven.

"I dunno, I just kind of…give in," Void responded.

"Then try it here," she replied. "It's worth a shot,"

It seemed as good a plan as any, the problem was, Void wasn't exactly sure how to get the fire to work that way. When using teleportation it was so much easier because he had something to focus on. A destination. But just setting his hand on fire…would that be enough?

Void held out his hand in front of him.

"_Fire. In my hand," _he thought. He closed his eyes, and focused on the image of his hand, and let his mind go empty save for that image, the same way he did when he teleported. When he opened his eyes, his hand showed a flicker of a flame, and then died out.

Void gasped. It had actually worked. Granted, he hadn't been able to sustain it, but it was a step forward! He was so eager to tell Gabriel, he didn't even want to walk over to him. So he said thanks to Raven, and Teleported back over to his teacher.

Gabriel was startled when Void appeared so suddenly, but the shock did not last long when Void told him the news.

"It took a lot of concentration just to get a spark, but I'm getting closer, I think with some more practice I can really get the hang of it," said Void.

"Excellent! Let's see you try it again," said Gabriel.

It took Void several minutes before he made any progress. He found that widening the focus to having fire in his hand, to holding, and keeping it in his hand allowed him to hold the fire. It seemed that he had to get specific to the very last detail of what he wanted to do before he could do it. That made things complicated because in a battle situation he would not have as much concentration as he had at his disposal now.

What was weird to Void was that the more he used the technique, the easier his concentration seemed to come to him, as if it were a muscle and he was working it out.

He worked like this for a few more hours before Gabriel spoke.

"That's enough, you can go for today, but be ready to work twice as hard tomorrow. We're a bit ahead of schedule, so we're going straight to the next exercise," he said.

"Perfect," said Void. He was happy that he was ahead, but less happy that it was going to get harder.

As he was walking out, Raven and Annabelle caught up to him.

"Done already?" asked Raven.

"We've been here almost all day," replied Void. "By the way, thanks for that idea,"

"Anything to help," she said with a smile.

Void decided to go home for the night, and Raven followed him. Annabelle wanted to go to the park area again, and Raven said she would meet her there. Walking back, Void was silent for a minute, but then finally broke the ice.

"Why did you want to follow me?" he asked.

"There's been something I wanted to ask you," she replied in a somber voice.

"Ok then. Shoot," he said. Raven was quiet for a moment before speaking.

"Was it worth it?" He didn't need to think to understand what she meant.

"Yes," he said. She was quiet again after that. But she continued to follow Void. Nothing else was said for the rest of the walk. When they reached Void's home he wasn't sure exactly how to say goodbye. He was sure he'd see her again tomorrow, but a simple 'see you next time' didn't seem to cut it. So he awkwardly held out his hand. She took it and they shook.

"Until next time," she said. Her hand lingered in his, as if both were unsure of when to let go. But finally their grasp lessened and their hands fell to their respective sides.

"See you," said Void as he walked through the door. He closed it behind him, and leaned his back against the wood of the door, listening to her walk away.

"What the hell?" he muttered to himself before throwing off his trench coat, and flopping face first onto his bed.


End file.
